Certainty Quote by James Hollis
“In moments of spiritual crisis we naturally fall back upon what worked for us, or seemed to work, heretofore. Sometimes this shows up through the reassertion of our old values in belligerent, testy ways. Regression of any kind is just such a return to old presumptions, often after they have been shown to be insufficient for the complexity of larger questions. The virtue of the old presumptions is that they once worked, or seemed to work, and therein lies if not certainty, then nostalgia for a previous, presumptive security. In our private lives, we frequently fall back upon our old roles.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Middle Passage, 1995
During spiritual crises, people revert to old beliefs, finding comfort in familiar but outdated assumptions, which can hinder growth.
In simple terms: People fall back on old ideas when stressed.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and question old patterns.
Themes
spiritual crisis
regression
nostalgia
Mood
introspective
cautious
Type
psychological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- therapy
- personal growth
- decision making
Key Concepts
psychology
developmental theory
belief systems
Questions to Reflect On
- What old belief do you revisit in crisis?
- How can you transform nostalgic comfort into progress?
A Different Perspective
Clinging to old ideas can prevent new insights.
![“[I]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge in mathematics, in so far as disposed through it we are able to reach certainty in other sciences and truth by the exclusion of error.” quote by Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d13/roger-bacon-15067_able_i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-a_24209.jpg)